"We were knocking down shots tonight," said Bucks coach Scott Skiles. "Guys were moving the ball early. You could tell guys were feeling pretty good about themselves offensively tonight.

"It was just a matter if we had any moments during the game where we could shut them down. We had a nice stretch in the third and fourth (quarters) where our defense came up big for us a few times, and we were able to get out and get some even easier baskets."

The Bucks (27-41) needed the victory to keep pace with Indiana, which defeated the Chicago Bulls in overtime Friday. Milwaukee stayed 2 1/2 games out of the eighth and final Eastern Conference playoff spot and did pick up ground on Charlotte, which lost at Oklahoma City.

Milwaukee pulled within one game of the ninth-place Bobcats.

New Jersey (22-45) lost for the second straight night after winning five in a row. Brook Lopez added 25 points and took seven stitches in his chin after the game due to a collision with Bucks center Andrew Bogut.

All-star point guard Deron Williams, playing in his eighth game as a member of the Nets, scored 18 points and had nine assists but was limited to 4-of-13 shooting.

"We did a pretty respectable job on him," Skiles said. "We were trying to focus on him and make him a passer.

"He got in the paint a few times, but we got the help there and made him shoot over us."

Williams said his bothersome right wrist is hurting.

"It's affecting me so much mentally now," Williams said. "You know I like going up against the top point guards.

"I usually fare well in those matchups, but I'm going to have a tough time doing that if I can't play my game."

New Jersey led at halftime, 54-52, and Williams ended the first quarter by swishing a 63-foot shot.

But the Bucks were able to gain control by outscoring the Nets, 28-19, in the third quarter. Salmons and Delfino each had nine points in the quarter, with Delfino sinking 3 three-pointers.

"He's an important player for us," Skiles said of Delfino, who set a career high with his 8 three-pointers. "We don't expect Carlos to shoot (make) 8 threes every night, but we don't expect him to shoot 33% from three, either. We've got to find some balance in there, at all of our spots on the floor.

"But it's big for us when the ball is moving around the perimeter and guys are making wise decisions with the ball, and the guy who finishes it is putting it right in the center of the basket."

The Bucks had their best shooting effort of the season against the Nets in a road game in January, hitting 58.3% and scoring 115 points.

This time they were 10 of 17 from three-point range and had 25 assists on 46 baskets. All five starters were in double figures, with Luc Richard Mbah a Moute adding 15 points and Bogut scoring 13.

"It was a good effort by everybody," Jennings said. "The way they were playing defense, we knew if we moved the ball we could get anything we wanted.

"We got a lot of things to the basket. When they started pressing and went into the 2-3 (zone), that's really when we moved the ball pretty well."

The Nets trailed by 12 points early in the fourth quarter but pulled within 95-91 on a jumper by Lopez with 4:32 remaining.

But the Bucks responded and extended the lead again on a quick 10-2 run that featured a right-handed hook shot by Bogut, a jumper by Jennings, and a layup by Mbah a Moute. Milwaukee lead, 105-93, with 1:56 left.

The Bucks halted a three-game losing streak that started with a defeat in Boston, as they scored a franchise-low 56 points Sunday.

Then they dropped a 25-point decision at Atlanta on Tuesday before falling in overtime to Orlando, 93-89, the following night.

The Bucks continue their four-game home stand against the New York Knicks on Sunday afternoon and finish it off against Sacramento on Wednesday.

"Those are two games we need," Mbah a Moute said. "We need to come out with the same intensity if not better."